Just Add Baby!

We have the greatest friends! This weekend we were lucky enough to have TWO baby showers hosted in our honor. Friday after work, Arely and Melissa hosted a shower with the rest of the girls from the office in the conference room.

Pat, one of our HR ladies, made this awesome baby carriage centerpiece for the party.

Arely froze little plastic babies in ice cubes. Each of the ladies got one in a cup. The first to have hers melt out of the cube had to yell "My water broke!" Luckily, my water did not break.

Melissa was one square of toilet paper too long around the belly.

Arely's was much too long! Maribel was the first to measure, and she was right on! That was pretty impressive.

The girls were so generous with their gifts and we spent a nice afternoon together.

Saturday morning we loaded up the Toyota and went to shower number two at Colin and Mel's house. They were mortified about the cake, and said they thought the janitor must have been filling in for the regular cake decorator. But I love it!

Laura and Vickie picked out a card about my "newest" attributes. How appropriate! Laura went a little crazy on the shopping side...I think she may have cleared out the store. We really appreciate everything, and so will Knox!

Knox also got some super sweet rockstar clothes.

Surprise boxes from Pennsylvania...

...and New Hampshire showed up, too! Thanks Grandmas & Grandpas!

We just want to take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE for their generous gifts and for thinking of our family over the past 9 months!

Our crafty friend Crystal made a personalized photo frame.

Love this blanket! So cute and so soft.

Jammies! They have little lion paw prints on the bottoms of the feeties.

I'm sure he'll be a frequent flyer by the ripe old age of two!

Punk rock shoes. Dad-approved.

His first pair of camo pants. Grandpa can teach him about hunting woodchucks out the kitchen window.

Diapers: Check! Recieving blankets: Check! Wash cloths: Check! Bottles, Binkies and Baby Shampoo: Check, check and CHECK!

I don't know where Knox is going to sleep...

Still have to find places for some things. We might need a bigger house.

Ib says by the time Knox outgrows this wardrobe, he ought to be old enough to get a job and buy bigger clothes himself. I think he's got a surprise coming...

More shoes than Imelda Marcos? And yes, those are baby crocs...thanks to Tia Arely!

I don't know what else we could possibly need...except Knox! 4 weeks and counting...

One Year

One year ago, today, Ib and I said our vows on the beach in Santa Cruz. It seems like only yesterday I was driving everyone crazy with my obsessive-compulsive, mirco-managing wedding planning. Of course, now I've replaced that with my obsessive-compulsive baby planning! HA HA!

But it's been a great first year and we're looking forward to many, many more years together.

This was our 2nd date (circa August 2005), and when Ib met Vinnie for the first time.

Our engagement photo, at Natural Bridges (August 2007)

Our wedding day: August 16, 2008

Ib brought me some beautiful roses. We've enjoyed a nice quiet weekend at home, and spent today stuffing ourselves silly. This morning we went to one of our favorite breakfast joints, Bobo's, where the whole restaurant wished us a happy anniversary and sang to us.

Tonight, our anniversary tradition, we had dinner at Olive Garden. That's where we had our first date.

Now we're just counting down the days til Little Knox joins our family. Year number two is going to be an interesting one, but we're ready for it and looking forward to every minute.

One thing is for sure...I'd marry him all over again! I ♥ you, Ib!

When It Rains, It Pours...

Especially the day you finally decide to have your car washed and detailed. And to top it off, when I went to cash in my "rain check" today, the car wash was conveniently closed. But that is a post for another day...and hopefully I won't have to use the WiFi at the Women's Correctional Facility to blog about it. But I digress...

We've been blessed with a bounty of gifts arriving in the mail this week for Knox. Who knew they made socks this tiny?! I just love it!

Turtles!

Great Aunt Nancy said she was "having some fun" with the NASCAR outfits. Daddy isn't so sure about these...I'm just glad they're not Earnhardt, Jr.

The puppies were excited to find out that this book has a squeaker in it. However, their joy was short-lived when they were forbidden to chew on it. I think we're going to have some issues with sharing...and Knox isn't going to be the one with the problem.

My old, dear friend Jenni sent us a goody package. We used to ride the school bus together and recently re-connected on Facebook. I love the internet!

Love, love, love the binky clips! She also said to use them on teethers...which I never would have though of!

The mesh zipper bag for the washer (perfect for keeping tiny baby socks together) was also a genius idea! I suppose someday I might have some cool "mom" tricks like that...but for now I'm so thankful to have people sharing their tips with me!

Aunt Puff was so excited when she found this vintage treasure: 1973 Fisher-Price Little People Circus Train Animals. Of course, she is partial to the elephant. They remind us of some of the animals we used to play with at Grandma's house. She said Knox had to have them, and I'm sure he will love them!

In Lights

One of my projects over the past few months was a design for a local Metaphysical Gift Shop. The customer sent in a design that someone else had already prepared. I wasn't crazy about it (really, it was downright awful), so I offered some better alternatives.

After a few revisions and a little compromise from both parties, the customer was very pleased with the final outcome. I have to say, I think it turned out pretty good myself!

I just happened to be on my way to a Dr. appointment and I saw our boys finishing up the installation. How cool!

It looks just like I wanted it to. I'm so pleased! It was especially refreshing to be able to work on a project that didn't involve ACE Hardware or JCPenney. Even though our National Accounts coordinators love me, it gets old after awhile.

Ib and I stopped on our way home from our birthing class last night and took a few illuminated shots. It looks great!

The customer is even using their new logo to print business cards and I just finished their design request for vinyl logos to put on the front doors, too. YAY! All my hard work is paying off...and now my designs are in lights.